How Incremental Process Improvements Delivered Major Throughput Gains
A leading meat processing company was experiencing growth in demand but faced operational bottlenecks that limited production capacity. Rather than investing in a large-scale plant expansion or complete process overhaul, the company partnered with M.G. Newell Corporation to identify targeted opportunities for improvement.
Like many mature processing facilities, the plant had evolved over time with equipment and processes that were functional but not optimized. The company wanted to improve performance without the disruption and capital expense associated with a major plant-wide project.
Through a series of strategic process upgrades implemented over time, the processor increased annual production from 85 million pounds to 95 million pounds—a nearly 12% increase in throughput—while improving product consistency, reducing ingredient costs, and gaining greater operational visibility.
Step 1: Improving Brine Mixing Efficiency
The first opportunity centered on the facility’s brine preparation process. Inconsistent mixing created long blend times and contributed to injector clogging, resulting in production inefficiencies and maintenance concerns.
Our team installed an Admix Rotosolver® high-shear mixer to improve mixing performance and ingredient dispersion. The result – Faster and more consistent brine preparation, reduced injector clogging, improved process reliability and a 6% reduction in salt usage!
Step 2: Increasing Ingredient Accuracy and Recipe Control
The next phase focused on ingredient batching accuracy. Small measurement variations in large production batches were creating unnecessary ingredient costs and reducing recipe consistency.
Our team upgraded the batching system with new high-accuracy load cells capable of measuring within 1 pound of accuracy in a 50,000-pound batch.
The enhanced weighing system gave operators better recipe control and consistency in batch formulations while helping management control ingredient expenditures.
Step 3: Reducing Batch Cycle Time Through Equipment and Controls Improvements
The largest productivity gains came from addressing batch preparation time and operator-dependent process variability. At the time, producing a single batch required approximately 45 minutes, limiting overall plant throughput.
M.G. Newell implemented:
- New mixing equipment
- Simplified process controls
- Automated sequencing and operational safeguards
- Process data collection and reporting tools
The controls platform prevented operators from starting mixers and pumps before ingredients and water were properly in place, eliminating a common source of equipment damage and process disruptions. Batch preparation time reduced from 45 minutes to 15 minutes! Additionally, the system captured production data by shift, providing management with detailed reporting and visibility into process performance.
The Outcome
Many processors assume meaningful production gains require major facility expansions or complete system replacements. This project demonstrates the value of a different approach. By identifying and addressing specific bottlenecks one at a time, the customer was able to spread capital expenditures over time while continuously improving operational performance. Each project generated measurable returns and created the foundation for the next improvement.
At M.G. Newell Corporation, we help processors identify practical opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and increase capacity through a combination of process expertise, equipment solutions, and automation technologies. Contact one of our associates to see how We Make It Work Better.